FMA 2 The Road Home
by AkariSakumi
Summary: Ed and Al finally track down the elusive Uranium bomb, only to find an old enemy in possession of the weapon. A fight ensues, there's a bright flash of light, and they suddenly find themselves...
1. Chapter 1

_Hi people! i hope you enjoy the story! Please rate & comment, though you don't gotta if you don't wanna. ( 3_

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist, and I DID NOT use anyone else's ideas.**

"Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that what you heard was right?" the blond young man asked yet again as he and his teenage brother snuck down the dark, narrow hallway.

"I told you a thousand times, YES!" the younger sibling said in an exasperated voice. Lowering it to a whisper he said, "Now will you keep it down? I hear something."

Reaching the only door at the end of the passage, the boys did indeed hear voices coming from the other side of it. Pressing their ears against the door to hear better, they almost could not believe what they heard.

"Enlighten me, how exactly will our organization benefit from promoting your device?" an official-sounding voice asked.

Another, more forceful sounding voice replied, "As I stated before, this weapon could threaten any nation in the world. After I have had time to duplicate it, we could easily bring any country to their knees!" the voice ended on a slightly more diabolical note.

The sound of a chair scraping on the floor was heard, followed by another, deeper voice than the first. "What you say may very well be true, Mr. Ned Vee. Yet I wonder what use you would see in controlling the world. All I see is us suddenly trying to quell countless rebellions, as well as attempting to run a worldwide government."

"Firstly, sir, I believe I remember saying I wished to be referred to by my first initial and my last name. Secondly, with such a powerful bomb in our hands, it would be child's play to end conspiracies in this world!"

The deeper voice was heard to sigh. "Very well then, Mr. N. Vee, but that does not seem like a very wise choice."

Chuckling, the other man said, "Oh, I very much doubt you'll be worrying about that." in a voice nobody liked. The elder brother, still listening outside the door, however, did not hear this last statement. He was far too occupied with his own thoughts.

'N. Vee?' he wondered to himself. Suddenly realizing he knew the man, the elder brother's thoughts were quite rudely interrupted by a series of gunshots from within the room. Reacting instinctively, both boys rushed into the room.

The rather dark room, which only a few seconds before had been filled with shady-looking men, was now littered with corpses. As they slowly fell out of their chairs, the rather young looking man who had shot them began to change in appearance. His hair, which was a rich dark color, grew at a rapid rate until it was down to his waist. His outfit, which consisted of a black shirt and pants and a white lab coat, transformed into a cutoff sleeveless and shorts that appeared to be made of some leathery material. Lowering the gun in his hand, he reached for the large capsule-shaped device on the table. As his hand neared it, however, two boys, both with blond hair, burst into the room through the door. A grin surfaced on the young man's face as he recognized the older man. "Aah, Edward Elric. How nice to see you again." he said in a very evil voice.

"Damn, so I was right! It is you, Envy!" the man almost yelled. "How are you here?! I thought you disappeared when the portal was opened!"

"So did I," Envy said simply, "however, it seems that Wrath and Gluttony beat me to that 'disappearing' part. Instead, I was reverted to my original form, and I even got my power back." He finished smugly. "But who's this?" he asked, noticing the younger brother for the first time. "He looks a lot like you, Elric."

The boy, who was only sixteen, stiffened. "What now, brother?" he said, looking to Edward for guidance.

"Don't worry, Al. You've got all your memories back, which means you still know who he is." Ed reassured his younger sibling.

"Al? Alphonse Elric? That old tin can I remember so well?!" Envy said, pleasure and mirth showing clearly on his face. "So you finally got your dearest wish, eh, Edward? To return your precious little brother to normal?" he continued mockingly. Edward glared at Envy, clearly showing that he still had a short fuse. "Oh, don't give me that look, it won't last, because I intend to kill you both right here." Envy said as he raised the gun towards Edward's face, only to have it knocked way by the young man's hand. Envy started after it, but was brought up short by Edward's automail fist colliding with his head.

So furious was the fight that ensued, it was no trouble at all for Alphonse to sneak, unnoticed by Envy, to the table, grab what he recognized as the uranium bomb that they had been searching for, and head back out the door. He barely made it out the exit, however, when he was stopped in his tracks by catching sight of what was going on.

Edward, bruised and with a cut on his lip, was using the wall for support as Envy, who had retrieved his gun, aimed it between his eyes. Instinctively, without even thinking, Al rushed forward, flinging his arm between the gunpoint and his brother, noticing as he did so, his arm became much lighter. Looking, all he saw was a small notched ring on the end of his finger, while the now activated bomb flew into the middle of the room. The only thing Al heard was his brother beginning to call his name, until all sight and sound was wiped out by a white flash of light.

The next thing the boys knew was the sensation of falling onto hard ground, slightly cushioned by fresh grass. Looking around, the two blonds found themselves on a strip of clear land between a forest and a small river. As they looked behind them, they saw something they hadn't seen for a long time: a transmutation circle. This circle, however, was not glowing red, white, or a yellow color like so many others they had seen. This circle, which was floating in the air, was a bright array of different colors swirling together in a rainbow. As it faded, the two noticed how very familiar the scenery around them looked.


	2. Chapter 2

_Well, here's chapter 2. Please enjoy! ( 3_

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA. That belongs to Arakawa-sama.

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Winry Rockbell, walking home from the market, sighed worriedly. Her grandmother, Pinako, had been sick for some time now. Winry had no worries about the old woman's resolve. She sometimes felt that her grandmother was too stubborn for her own good. That was it, though, Pinako was an old woman, and her immune system wasn't what it used to be. Winry deeply wished her grandmother's health for several reasons. One, Pinako was the only one Winry had left in the world, besides her dog. Also, she thought to herself with a chuckle, Winry was getting pretty tired of making soup, though because it was for her grandmother, she supposed she could put up with it a little longer.

Reaching her home, Winry opened the door and stepped inside. A loud clanking announced Den's arrival, as he barreled into the room so quickly he almost crashed into Winry before he stopped completely. Laughing, Winry pat him on the head, then went into the kitchen, deciding that she could make soup for Pinako, then something else for herself. Now twenty years old, Winry no longer had the stocky build of a young child. She had thinned out in some places, and filled out in others, though she hadn't lost any of her strength to these changes. Still the automail prodigy, Winry could pretty much beat up anyone that tried to mess with her. Even Major Armstrong, though she couldn't possibly hurt him in any way, was on occasion slightly intimidated by her ferocity in fighting.

Sighing to herself, Winry tasted the soup and, seeing that it was ready, took some upstairs. When she got to her grandmother's room, however, she found her asleep, and because Pinako's illness rarely let her rest, she decided to leave her be. Not being particularly hungry just yet, Winry decided to take Den out for a walk, not that he actually did any walking. She always walked while Den ran off in all directions, chasing pretty much anything that moved.

Time passed, and before Winry knew it, the sun was starting to get low in the sky. Calling Den, she started to make her way back home. She hadn't gotten far, however, before a particular sunlit trail through the woods caught her attention. Deciding to take a little detour, she started down the path, admiring all the summer blossoms in the trees and bushes. Out of all the flowers she saw though, Winry was most astounded by what she saw when she reached the river.

A cherry tree, in full bloom, and far larger than any she had ever seen. Cherry blossoms had always been her favorite. They signified peace and happiness to her, though now they made her a little bit sad as well, for they reminded her of two friends to whom she had been unable to bring peace. She hoped that, wherever they were, they were safe and happy. She sighed, sitting down under the tree.

"I miss you guys." Winry mumbled out loud, making Den look up at her. "Why did you have to leave?" She didn't say anymore, though, leaning against the trunk of the tree, she began to hum to herself. The tune seemed sort of lonely and spoke of things long gone. She hadn't gone very far in the song, however, before she was interrupted by the ground below her beginning to tremble violently. Then she heard a sort of electrical sound, followed by a small explosion. It seemed to come from around a bend in the forest.

Starting towards the source of the sound cautiously, Winry tried to remember where she'd heard that sound before. About a foot away from the bend, she realized that was a transmutation she'd heard. When the realization hit her, a spark of hope fluttered somewhere in her heart, but she quickly dispelled it. It couldn't possibly be them, those who were friends and, at the same time, more than friends. It had been too long.

Den, faithfully following his human companion, almost ran into her when she stopped suddenly. Looking up, he saw what man describes as fear and doubt, but he did not understand. Not being a very brave sort of dog, Den stood just to the side and slightly behind Winry, waiting for her to make a move. When she did not, he did not. So they stood there, just behind the bend, not moving, not making a sound. Shortly, they heard voices. Even though Winry was the only one of the two who could understand them, both girl and dog recognized them. Den would have run towards the owners of the voices immediately, but Winry still didn't move, so he stayed put.

Around the bend, Ed and Al stood up, looking around disbelievingly at what they saw. Al, being the first to shake off the shock of both the explosion and of suddenly finding himself home, said, "Brother, this is-".

"Yeah.", Ed interrupted. "I know, Al."

"But how did we get back? Were we thrown through the gate again?" Al asked as they turned around, looking at the space in the air that only seconds before had held the glowing transmutation circle that they had come through. He was thoroughly perplexed by the situation.

Thinking for a minute, Ed said, "I don't think so. Remember, we're not originally from that world to begin with. I think the enormous force of the bomb exploding simply catapulted us back to our own world. And, because Envy never got the chance to make more bombs, we don't have to search for it anymore. And, because we never went through the gate, we also don't need to reseal it."

Al, realizing what his brother was hinting at, looked at him, and saw a small smile on his brother's face, confirming the hope that had hidden in his heart for more than two years. "You mean…." He began.

"Yeah, Al." Ed said, interrupting again, but Al did not care in the slightest. "We're home. And this time, it's for good."

Winry, who had been listening with bated breath the entire time, suddenly felt tears sliding down her face at these words. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the tree she had been standing by, looking at her dearest friends for the first time in almost three years. Seeing that they were turned facing the other way, she tentatively walked forward a few steps. Stopping a few feet away, she paused, and then said, almost in a whisper, "Guys?"

Hearing the small, yet unmistakable voice, the two boys whirled around, to see Winry. Standing there, with a huge smile and tear-streaks on her cheeks, the very first person they wanted to see, Winry Rockbell. Ed, not quite believing what he was seeing, stared at the girl before him. So much had seemed to change, in so short a time. Winry no longer had any sort of childlike frame of body about her person. She had clearly become a young woman and, though it almost made Ed blush to even think it, a very pretty woman at that. Al, having no such thoughts about someone so much older than him, immediately started forward, slowly at first, but picking up speed until he was running full pelt towards her. Ed, not wanting to seem awkward, simply copied his brother. Winry just stood where she was, waiting for her friends to reach her. Al, still very childish sometimes, practically knocked her to the ground with his hug. Ed would have hugged Winry too, but for one little hitch. Den, who had followed his companion, got caught up in the excitement and, seeing Ed first, jumped on top of him, actually knocking him over.

Laughing, Ed sat up; the other two joining in as the dog ran circles around them and barking like crazy. Ed, suddenly seeing a hand extend in front of him, looked up to see Winry, offering her hand and smiling at him. Jokingly she said, "Alright, Ed. It's time to stop playing in the dirt."

Chuckling, Ed accepted her offer to help him up off the ground. The first thing Winry noticed as he stood up in front of her was that she had to tilt her head up in order to look into his face. "Ed! You're actually taller than me!" she exclaimed for two reasons. One, she was indeed surprised by his newly found height. And two, she wanted to see how he would react.

Ed, far too happy to be home to notice the jibe, simply replied, "Yeah. I guess it just took a little longer for me to grow. But you'll need to help me out with something."

"Huh? With what?" Winry said, perplexed.

Some distance away, a shadow was hiding in the trees, listening to the sounds of the people talking. Chuckling to itself, the shadow leaned lightly into the light, revealing itself too be Envy. Thinking of a way to mess with his enemy's minds, he began to change shape. His hair, becoming shorter, seemed to braid itself as it turned a golden blond. His eyes also became a golden color, and his right arm and left leg, in a flash of light, changed into what looked like automail, but was only the extent of his abilities. Envy, in his Edward Elric disguise once again, changed his voice and, running out toward the others, started yelling in Ed's voice, "Get away from him! He's really Envy disguised as me!" Stopping just short of the real Ed, he nailed him right in his left cheek. Not bothering with words, Ed returned the favor. Instantly, they picked up right where they left off. Only this time, Envy had no gun.

Looking utterly lost, Al and Winry both just watched, helpless to do anything, until Winry came up with an idea. Pulling out her trusty wrench, she walked towards the two. Al thought this was very brave, since it was fairly obvious that one of them was Envy, who wouldn't hesitate to kill her. Approaching the boys, she readied her wrench.

Ed, seeing the dreaded tool coming, instantly tried to get away. Years of getting pounded to a pulp by that accursed thing had produced almost an inborn fear of it. Envy, not having any experience with this, paid no heed. Therefore, he was the one who got at least three lumps on his head, while Ed got away unscathed.

"Alright," Winry said in an authoritative voice. "I'll be figuring out who 's the real Edward, and you two will sit there and behave, or else!" she finished, raising the wrench threateningly. Ed, still nervous about being clobbered, flinched slightly. Noting this, Winry ordered, "Take off your boots, both of you!"

Ed instantly complied, and his shoes were lying on the ground in record time, while Envy, still posing as Ed, followed at a more leisurely pace. Seeing both of their feet, Winry notice that, though one boy's automail leg was a few inches too short, the other's was exactly the right length. Smiling, Winry pointed to the Ed on her right, and declared "You are the real Elric!"

"Damn you!" the boy on her left yelled. Surging upward, he ran at her, transforming back into Envy as he did so. Grabbing her by her hair, he yelled, "How did you know!? Tell me!"

Though in pain, Winry calmly replied, "Ed's automail is too short, I already know that there is none in the other world, so no one but me would be able remove his automail or refit it. Al!" she yelled suddenly. Envy, still processing what she had said, felt a fist ram into the top of his head, causing him to let go of Winry and drop to the ground, stunned. Al stood over him, glaring, while Winry massaged the spot where her hair had been pulled. Ed, his shoes on his feet once more, ran up to Winry to see if she was alright. As Al joined them, Envy jumped up and, before anyone could react, ran off. Ed, starting after him, felt a hand on his shoulder stop him. Looking around, he saw Winry shake her head, saying, "Don't bother. There's no place left for him in this world. For now, let's just go home."

At the words 'go home', both Al and Ed just felt so happy and content at that they couldn't even argue. Ed, though he sighed heavily, said, "Alright. But can you start fitting me up for some new automail? You have no idea how uncomfortable it is walking around with uneven legs." After Winry agreed, all four of them, three people and a dog, made their way home in the fast fading twilight.


	3. Chapter 3

_HIHI! Here's... *Drumroll* ... CHAPTER 3!!! WOOO! ok, I'll let you enjoy. ( 3_

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, or anything like that. FMA belongs to Arakawa-sama.**

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Bursting in through the doorway, Ed and Al happily flopped onto the enormous couch, though they didn't remain there for long. The excitement of being where they felt they belonged kept them in such a state of hyperactivity, the only way they could get rid of it was by having one of their sparring matches, for now that Al wasn't made of metal, Ed was actually as good as his brother at martial arts now. So, by the time Winry actually made it to her house, she wasn't shocked at all by the sight of her friends pummeling each other in her front yard. Giggling, she let herself in, to find her grandmother, looking much better then she had before, carefully making her way down the steps wrapped up in a blanket. Before Winry did anything else, she yelled out the door behind her, "Guys! Come in and say hi to Grandma!"

"Who are you talking to, Winry? And what's all that rack--"

Her next question was cut off by two rambunctious blond boys bursting into the house, sweeping her off the floor, hugging her fiercely and yelling, "Granny Pinako! It's so good to see you again!" Pinako, quite shocked by two boys whom she'd thought were gone forever being suddenly thrust into her life again, could only say, "How on earth did you boys get here?" And, seeing how much taller Ed was, teasing him by adding, "And Al, what happened to that bean you used to always travel with?"

Ed, deciding to humor her, said ferociously, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BEAN YOU OLD MIDGET!!!" She was about to retort when Ed burst out laughing, saying, "Just kidding, Granny. Those old 'short person' jibes don't work anymore."

Pinako was about to reply, when a fit of coughing cut her off. Immediately concerned, the boys put her down and attempted to wrap the blanket even more tightly around her. Winry, suddenly taking charge, said sternly, "Back to bed, Grandma. This has happened more than once. You feel a little better, and decide you can come back to work. I told you I'll decide when your bed rest ends." Ed, already knowing what to do, scooped Pinako up and carried her upstairs, despite her many protests.

Al, looking over to Winry, asked concernedly, "How long has she been sick?"

"About a week." she replied, sighing. "I know it doesn't seem like a long time, but you gotta remember how old she is." Going into the kitchen, Winry started heating up the soup. "I'll get us something to eat as soon as I take some of this up to Grandma." In a short time, the soup was hot, and Winry made a bowl and started taking it up the stairs as Ed came back down. While she was taking care of her grandmother, the boys looked around the house, taking in all the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells of their home.

"Alright, now who wants something to eat?" Winry asked, coming back down the stairs. The answer she got was two young men scrambling for a seat at the table and staring at her like hungry dogs. Laughing, Winry made three bowls and, serving the boys first, sat down to eat. Ed and Al's dishes were empty in record time, and soon after, they were fighting over who got seconds first. When they started getting loud, however, Winry stood up, saying forcefully, "Don't make me come over there. Grandma's sick, and I'm personally making sure she gets maximum rest."

At that, they quieted down and, with now refilled bowls, sat down yet again at the table. After dinner was through and the dishes were done, the three friends sat down on the couch to talk. Ed and Al, overjoyed to find themselves home again, couldn't possibly stop talking even if they wanted to. Winry, however, was simply content to listen to their adventures, smiling and looking at the both of them all the while. Not having had the chance to talk the last time they had been in their own world, Ed had to tell Winry the things that happened to him before he found Al again, as well as both boys relating their encounters after they had left to seal the gate.

"Anyway, after we did that," Ed said. "We decided to find a place to live in the city. We didn't really want to live in the country."

"How come?" Winry interjected.

"We just didn't feel like it." Al answered, rather evasively, Winry thought.

"ANYWAY." Ed asserted, annoyed at having been interrupted. "We hadn't been settled for very long when Al overheard some shady-looking guys talking about some meeting. Apparently they were anxious to hear about a new weapon someone was introducing. Since it sounded a lot like the uranium bomb we had been searching for, we decided to follow these guys to wherever they were going."

Yeah." Al added. "The whole time we followed them, Ed kept asking me if I was sure I heard them right." He said with a grin. In retrospect, the matter seemed funny.

"I just wanted to be sure!" Ed said. "You know I was tired of all the false leads!"

"Anyway," Al continued. "When we got there, we could hear them talking about some weapon, but we never actually heard them refer to it as a uranium bomb. That was put aside, though, when someone in the room started shooting a gun. Running into the room, we saw…"

"Envy," Ed said, picking up where Al left off. "And the very bomb we had been looking for all that time. Envy, who still hates me, if you hadn't noticed, tried to shoot both of us, but was a little distracted by something." He said on a rather smug note.

"Which was?" Winry asked, hungering for the details.

Ed, still looking smug, said, "Oh, just an automail fist connecting with his skull. I really gotta hand it to you, Winry. Two years after its installed, without a single professional tune-up, and the thing still works like a charm. So anyway, I end up fighting Envy, while Al snuck by us, grabbed the bomb, and started back out. He was almost out the door, but noticed that Envy had aimed his gun at me. Running back toward us, Al accidentally flung the arm that was holding the bomb in between me and Envy. By pulling the little catch out of the bomb, he set it off, and the next thing we knew, we were back home. I already know that you heard us talking, so there's no need to tell you we don't need to go back."

Winry, rather astounded and shocked by all the things her closest friends had been through, couldn't say anything. Instead, she stood up, walked over to them, and hugged both of them tightly, saying, "I'm just so glad you're back." Al just grinned, but Ed, who hadn't quite gotten used to the change, blushed furiously, and was quite grateful the other two couldn't see his face. He tried to play it off by stretching, but failed when he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. Winry, noticing his flinch immediately, got out her toolbox, and proceeded to remove the prosthetic limb. Now that she was looking at it, Winry wondered how long it had been bugging Ed, it was at least a size and a half too short, and she saw that she would have to make an entirely new one from scratch. Using Ed's other arm and leg for measurement, she started to jot down on a piece of paper all the lengths and widths she needed to make a temporary arm and leg. They would take her all night, she knew, but she was simply happy to be making her friend's automail again. While she was writing, however, she noticed Al give a huge yawn, though he tried to hide it.

"Bed, Al. You too, Ed. I've got all I need, so when you're ready, just call and I'll come up and remove your leg. I have a feeling you'll sleep much better without it bothering you."

Gratefully going upstairs, the boys didn't bother saying goodnight just yet, for she would be up shortly. About four minutes later, Winry heard Ed's voice and, taking a wrench and screwdriver with her, went upstairs to take off the offending limb. Though he tried to hide it, Winry clearly heard a sigh of satisfaction escape her friend's lips as the extra weight was removed. Seeing how the leg was almost five inches too short, Winry wondered how on earth he was able to even walk at all with it on. Then she noticed that one of his shoes had a lot more heel on it than the other. Marveling at Ed's ingenuity, Winry said goodnight, and went back downstairs.

Working through the night, Winry decided that since Ed would need the leg more, she made that first. It being only a temporary limb, she only made it strong enough to withstand any possible threats of Ed and Al having another sparring match. When it was finished, she decided to take a short break. Going into the kitchen, she glanced at the clock, and was shocked to see that it read 1:12 AM. Shrugging, Winry got herself a drink and sat on the couch in the living room. She didn't dare lay down though, for she knew if she did, she would fall asleep, and Ed would be expecting both a leg and an arm for the next few days while she worked on his new automail. Sighing, Winry stood up and, stretching for a bit first, went back to her workshop.

She hadn't been working on Ed's temporary arm for very long when she heard someone coming down the stairs. Knowing that Pinako's room was right above her, she knew it wasn't her grandmother, for she would have heard her get up. Therefore, she assumed it was Al getting a drink or something like that. So, standing up, she thought she'd go say hi. She was slightly surprised when she saw, not Al, but Edward making his way awkwardly down the stairs. Seeing as he looked like he could fall any minute, Winry rushed to help him the rest of the way down. Making him sit on the couch, she asked him what he was doing up so late.

"I just woke up, and I couldn't get back to sleep. Something's just been bothering me." He replied. Before he could continue, however, Winry said "Hold on a sec." and, retrieving her toolbox and her friend's new leg, came back out of her workshop and proceeded to attach the leg, so that Ed wouldn't fall over when she made him go back to bed, which she would do, in due time. But for now, she would listen to his worries, and put them at ease, so that he could sleep. Finishing with his leg, she asked again, "Now, what were you going to say?"

Ed, looking much more comfortable with a limb that fit after a few years of dealing with one that couldn't, was suddenly silent for a moment. Just when it seemed he was going to speak, he just sighed and said, "It's nothing. Forget it." Winry, not having any patience after dealing with being kept in the dark for so long, snapped.

"I should have expected that!" She exclaimed, though not too loudly, so as not to disturb anyone else. Ed looked up, a shocked expression on his face, saying, "What?"

"Oh, come on Ed. Don't even pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. You and Al both have done this to me ever since you first left years ago! Always shutting me out, keeping me in the dark, and never, EVER telling me anything!" Winry, starting to get on a roll, kept going, but she still kept her voice low. Her concern for the other's wellbeing far outstripping her anger and frustration. "I'm absolutely sick and tired of it! And the worst part is…" she said, her voice starting to crack, which Ed noticed in a heartbeat, and it instantly made him feel horrible.

Winry, her eyes now beginning to tear up, continued, "The worst part is, no matter how many times I've been shut out, I always end up asking what's wrong all over again. Well, I've had it, Edward Elric!" Ed started, it had been a while since anyone had used his full name as an angry implication, and hearing it from an upset Winry, when he was already feeling bad, only served to make him feel worse, as well as put any retort he may have had to rest.

"If you and Al won't tell me anything, then I simply won't ask, and pretend I don't care!" Winry burst out with a finality that somewhat frightened Ed. Turning to leave, Winry found that she only went a few steps before someone grabbed her wrist. Turning around, Winry found herself looking at Ed, though he would not meet her gaze. When he looked up, Winry was shocked to see an expression of regret and something else that might have been tenderness, but she could not be sure. So used to seeing the hardened expression he had always shown her before, this display of emotion so surprised Winry that she couldn't pull away.

"I'm sorry, Winry. You're right. We shouldn't have kept secrets from you, it's just that Al and I don't want to worry you." He said quietly. Winry, the surprise now beginning to wear off, noticed that Ed's grip on her hand had not slackened. This, in combination with the softness of his face and voice, sent her heart racing, and she felt herself blush, thanking her lucky stars that it was so late at night. Sitting back down on the couch, Winry asked again what was bothering her friend.

Sighing, Ed said, "Well, I'm kind of concerned that Envy's still around."

"How come?" Winry asked. "He's the only homunculus left, right? I can't see him tricking anyone into making a philosopher's stone be himself."

"I know." Ed replied. "But he still holds a grudge against Al and me, because we're Hoenheim's kids."

"But I don't think he'd attack you guys anytime soon." Winry persisted. "Both you and Al are a match for him on your own, and since you guys are near impossible to separate, he'd have to be extremely stupid to challenge both of you. I already know for a fact from what you've told me about him that he's not."

Ed, hesitating for a moment, continued, "I'm not worried about me or Al. I'm worried that he'll try to hurt you or granny Pinako to get back at us." He finished, slumping over and covering his eyes with his hand. Winry, not entirely surprised at his protective behavior, placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up suddenly.

"I really appreciate the concern Ed, but I don't want you to lose your rest over it. I can protect myself somewhat, and you and Al won't be gone as often, because you don't need to look for the stone anymore, right?"

Ed smiled, which made Winry feel very happy. She always tried her best for those she cared about, and making her friend feel better was possibly the most she could do for him at any time. "You have a point." Ed said. Then, smirking, he continued, "besides, I don't think Envy wants to go anywhere near you for the time being."

"Really? Why's that?" Winry asked, perplexed.

Laughing, Ed said, "Because you beat the snot out of him. I have to say, it was nice seeing my enemy get beat up with the same wrench that's given me more lumps than I can count." At this, Winry laughed and said, "Alright, go back to bed, Ed. I'll be up soon. I'm almost done with your arm, and I'll start making your regular automail tomorrow." Both stood up and, heading out of the living room, stopped at the doorway to Winry's workshop. Standing so close to Ed, Winry now fully took in the extent of his height. With a shock, she realized that the top of her head only came up to about his nose. Looking up, Winry saw, to her astonishment, what looked like a blush creeping over Ed's face. She mentally shook her head, thinking that he wasn't like that. He wasn't the emotional type at all, really. He had his moments, but most of the time he remained in a stubborn state of indifference

Smiling, Ed said, "Thanks Winry. And goodnight."

"Goodnight Ed." Winry replied. Then, before he could react, she gave him a quick hug which, though she didn't realize it, caused his face to turn an even deeper shade of red, then walked back into her workshop, a plan formulating in her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

As the sun rose over the rather large yellow house just outside of the town of Risembol, its light gently woke the young woman sleeping within. As she recalled the events of the previous day, she leaped out of bed in excitement, though she was still mindful of her sleeping companions in the neighboring bedrooms. Quietly going downstairs, she made a luxurious breakfast in what seemed like no time at all.

Winry, thinking about how the boys hadn't been around for a couple years, wanted very much to show off her culinary skills. She had become an excellent cook in a very short time, and was quite proud of herself s she looked at the spread she had prepared. Thinking quickly, Winry knew that the smell of food would bring the boys running downstairs, so she decided to put her plan in motion before they were fully awake. Walking to her phone, she dialed a few numbers of some friends she knew and, telling them that she was throwing a party in a couple days, convinced them all to come over the day after next.

Going upstairs, Winry tried to think of a way to get her friends to help with the party, without telling them the full extent of it. She decided to simply say it was to celebrate their return home. Deciding to attend to her grandmother first, Winry gently woke her and, after taking her temperature, deemed she was well enough to eat breakfast with the rest of them. While Pinako headed slowly downstairs, Winry thought she'd have some fun with waking the boys.

Creeping into their room, she was surprised to find Al already awake and getting dressed. Grinning, he pointed to Ed, and Winry giggled when she saw his position. He had yet again stretched his arm out over his head, pulling his nightshirt up to where his stomach was exposed to any breeze that might come through. Winry's eyes bulged a little when she saw Ed's abs, but she quickly covered it up with a smile and, putting a finger to her lips, whispered to Al, "Watch this."

Sneaking up to his bed, Winry quietly leaned over so that her face was only a few centimeters from Ed's. Talking quietly, Winry said, "Ed. It's time to get up now." Al, moving to where he could see better, watched attentively. Ed slowly opened his eyes, then closed them again, until his brain fully registered what he saw. His eyes flying open again, he fell out of bed, yelling like something had bit him. When he stood up, a furious expression on his face, he only found not only Winry, but also Al laughing their heads off at his reaction. Ed stubbornly tried to retain the scowl on his face, but his brother and his friend's laughter were too contagious. Pretty soon, he found himself chuckling with the both of them.

Winry, wiping tears of mirth form her eyes, said, "Alright you guys, finish getting dressed, then come downstairs and eat breakfast." At the word 'breakfast', Ed and Al practically raced into their clothes and down the stairs as fast as they possibly could without falling down. Winry, having already eaten, watched as her friends fought her grandmother and each other for different plates of food. They were just messing around, she knew, but it made her feel good seeing how much they liked her cooking

Winry now realized that she had underestimated both the boy's appetites, for when they were done, there was absolutely no food left on the table. Making everyone pitch in to help, the dishes were swiftly cleaned and put away. Then, after telling Pinako what she had in store for the boys in a few days, her grandmother shuffled back upstairs, saying she was going to sleep some more. Calling Ed to her workshop, Winry swiftly attached his temporary arm. Watching him stretch and admire her handiwork, she said, "Remember, Ed, it's not real automail, so try not to kill anyone."

"Alright, Winry." Ed said, grinning.

"Okay, now you and Al go put some shoes on." Winry said, slipping her feet into some shoes as well.

"How come?" Ed asked.

"We gotta go get you guys some new clothes." Winry replied. "You didn't exactly pack for the trip when you came back. Also, those clothes you're wearing look kinda weird in our world." She finished, getting some money for the trip. She had been standing by the door for only a few minutes before her friends came down the stairs.

Heading out the door, Winry made sure to keep Den in the house. Otherwise, he would follow them into town. She didn't mind, of course, but she had reason to believe the shop owners would mind having a dog in their stores. They hadn't walked very far when Al spoke up next to her.

"So, how come the sudden shopping trip, Winry? It can't only be for new clothes." He said shrewdly. Winry, deciding to tell them part of her scheme, said, "Well, to tell the truth, I was hoping to throw a little party for us. Nothing big, I just wanted to celebrate you're coming home."

Al, a grin spreading across his face, said, "Really? That sounds like fun, right brother?" he said, looking at Ed.

"I guess so. I'm not really one for parties." Ed said unenthusiastically. "I'm not sure if I'll stick around for very long."

Pouting, Winry said, "Don't even think about it, Ed. I'm going out of my way to do something special for you guys. You are not allowed to hide in your room the entire time."

"Yeah, come on, Ed." Al added. "It'll be fun. It's not like one of those enormous military get togethers back in Central." Winry kept silent at this, hiding it by making puppy-dog eyes at Ed.

Taken aback, Ed found himself far outmatched in this matter and, though he would never admit it, he DID think that a little party between friends would be kind of fun. Sighing, he said in a voice that hinted at defeat, "Alright, I'll hang out with you guys."

"And?" Winry said. Ed, knowing what she was hinting at, added, "And I promise not to go off hiding somewhere." Satisfied, Winry skipped ahead a few steps, excited that her plan was going so well, though she wasn't sure how Ed would react when THEY showed up on the doorstep. Oh well, she thought to herself, I'll worry about that when it happens.

Reaching town, Winry proceeded to drag both boys to almost every shop in Risembol. All along the way, Ed and Al were stopped by almost everyone they knew, hearing time and again exclamations of how tall they had gotten and how much they had changed. They had apparently changed more than even they realized, because they were getting a number of glances from girls on the street. Winry, noticing this, pointed it out to Al, hoping to boost the confidence that had been taken away by his being a suit of armor for so long. That had sort of been her job before he found Ed and followed him to the other world. To her surprise, however, he just shrugged, saying he wasn't really interested in girls yet. Shrugging, they continued on their way.

The clothes shopping didn't take too long. Al said that he was fine with just some decent-looking shirts, shorts, and pants, since it was almost fall. Ed, on the other hand, was almost impossible to shop for or with. He point blank refused to wear anything except his old wardrobe from before. So, while Al walked away with all sorts of clothes, Ed only had his old outfit of a black long-sleeved shirt, black pants, boots, and gloves. He looked rather contented though, Winry couldn't fail to notice, but decided against saying anything, wanting him to enjoy himself.

After the clothes shopping, the three made their way to the market, Winry saying she would need a few supplies for the party. Soon they were done, and headed back down the path towards home, the boys carrying their clothing, Winry carting along the groceries. They hadn't gotten very far from town though, when a voice was heard calling Winry behind them. Turning around first, Ed and Al saw a slightly annoyed expression on her face before she covered it with a smile and, turning around, she waved to what the boys now saw as an out-of-breath young man who looked to be slightly older than Edward.

The man, who was about Ed's height, was of a lean build, nearly all of him looking long and lanky. The rest of him, though, was quite attractive. With jet black hair, dark green eyes, and porcelain-looking skin all giving him an air of sophistication, it was no wonder that he had had an admirably-sized group of girls that would follow him around ever since he came to Risembol. Getting his breath back, the man straightened up, standing just in front of Winry who, despite her hidden annoyance, greeted him politely and asked how he had been.

"Very well, very well, thank you Winry. You really are too kind." The man said, seeming to become a little flustered as he talked to her. Ed was becoming a little annoyed as well. This guy didn't seem to care that he and Al were even there. This was put to rest, however, when the man looked at them and said to Winry, "Are these possibly your friends you told me about?"

Smiling genuinely this time, Winry replied, "Yes. This is Alphonse Elric," She said, pointing first to Al than Ed. "And this is Edward Elric. They're brothers, you see."

"Ah yes, it is very nice to meet you both." The man said, shaking both their hands. "I truly enjoy meeting the friends Winry speaks so fondly of." Turning back to Winry, he addressed her, "So, have you given anymore thought to the offer I posed you?" he said. Ed and Al, having no idea what he was talking about, patiently waited for the conversation to end, thinking Winry would tell them soon enough.

Sighing, Winry said, "I told you, no. You're very kind, and a good friend, but I'm not interested." Looking crestfallen, the guy replied, "Very well, I shall try again another time. I do not give up so easily." He finished with a smile. Turning, he set off back down the path towards town. Turning abruptly, Winry began marching home, the mask gone, and every trace of the previous impatience showing once again.

Concerned slightly, Ed and Al followed after, Al asking who that guy was. Sighing heavily, Winry sat down on a log lying along the side of the path. When she didn't say anything for a few minutes, they thought she wasn't going to answer their question at all. Then, almost out of nowhere, she spoke up.

"His name is John Woodworth. He moved to Risembol about a year and a half ago, and because of his looks, almost every girl in town dotes on him. Apparently, because I wasn't interested in him, he found that remarkable, and spends nearly all his time trying to get my attention. I find it extremely annoying." She finished on an exasperated note.

Thinking for a moment, Ed realized that something didn't make sense. Turning to Winry, he asked her, "Hold on. You said he came about a year and a half ago. That's kind of a long time for anyone to focus so much on one person."

Bowing her head slightly, Winry replied quietly, "Well, to tell the truth, I hadn't actually been in town for a long time, including after he showed up."

"How come?" Al asked.

"I was…" Winry paused, hesitating for a moment, before continuing. "I was sort of shut up in the house for a while after you guys left. I was kinda depressed." She finished, her head still bent. Looking around her hair, which was obscuring her face, the boys saw that she had a sad sort of smile on her face. Looking over the top of her head at each other, they nodded simultaneously and, at the same time, hugged her from both sides, while Ed said comfortingly, "Well, what matters is that we're home now. And we're not going anywhere."

Smiling genuinely this time, Winry threw her arms around both her friend's shoulders, saying happily, "Thanks you guys! You're the best!" Jumping up, Winry turned around to look at the boys. "Now let's get home. I want to check on Grandma." Smiling at the girl's restored cheerfulness, Ed and Al stood up and walked on either side of her as they made their way home.

Walking in through the door, the three were surprised to see Pinako, wrapped up in a blanket and with a steaming mug, sitting on the couch. Before Winry could say anything, the old woman said, "I know. I'm supposed to stay in bed, but it's really boring to just lay there and not do anything. By the way, I really wish you'd let me help you with making this boy's automail." She added, pointing to Ed as she did so. "You'll have to start from scratch, so I know it's going to take you practically all night and some of tomorrow."

"I know." Winry replied. "But I don't mind. And besides, if you try to help me with it, you won't get well in time for the party." Defeated for now, Pinako sighed. Winry did, however, allow her to remain in their company, as long as she agreed to stay warm and not leave the couch too often. Winry, after she and the boys put everything away, went into her workshop with a new determination to finished Ed's automail in time to help prepare for the party. She already had her schedule for the next day up to the party. She would finish the job then, after giving the new limbs to Ed, would go to bed and sleep for most of the day as well as the next night. By getting up early the next morning, she would insure that she had enough time to prepare the food she would need before anyone showed up, hoping that, since all but one were in Central, they would arrive together.

Sitting down at her desk, Winry got right to work, stooping only to go to the bathroom, get a drink, and eat dinner that night. She was slightly surprised by how well-prepared the meal was. She had never pinned either of the boys as people who could cook, which she realized later was ridiculous. Someone had to make them meals all those years they had been on the road. Saying goodnight after she had helped with the dishes, she went right back to her work, hardly ever stopping all throughout the night. It was this perseverance that allowed her to be finished by midmorning the next day. After she attached the new arm and leg, ignoring his flinch as the nerves reconnected, she paused for a little bit to watch Ed admire her handiwork yet again. Ed, thanking her sincerely, asked if there was anything he could do while she rested. After asking him and Al to take care of a few things around the house, as well as caring for Pinako and Den, Winry went upstairs to her room, changed into her pajamas, crawled into bed, and was asleep in a matter of minutes.

When Winry woke up a few hours later, she looked outside to see the sun setting. Feeling completely rejuvenated, she made her way downstairs to find Granny Pinako sitting once again on the couch, while a clamorous noise told her that Ed and Al were having another sparring match outside. Going into the kitchen, she proceeded to make dinner for them all. When the boys came in, they were surprised to see Winry at the stove, but greeted her cheerfully none the less. A little while after dinner, they all went to bed and, despite the fact that she had been asleep almost all day, Winry slept soundly all that night so that it seemed like no time at all before her alarm clock went off to get her up early the next morning. Jumping out of bed in excitement, she quickly got dressed and, being extra quiet, headed downstairs.

Hours later, Ed, yawning and still in his PJ's, came stumbling down the stairs. Winry, who had taken extra care to hide all the dishes she had made, greeted him warmly as he sat down at the table, placing a stack of pancakes before him. As he dug in, Winry went upstairs into his room to wake up Al, went to wake up Pinako and, after checking her over, deemed she was well enough to pick up her daily life again, but warned her to watch what she did for the next couple of days, so as not to invite a return of the disease. Exiting her Grandmother's room so she could get dressed, Winry saw Al come out of his own room, already dressed, and told him there was a plate of pancakes for him in the kitchen.

Following him down the stairs, Winry collected Ed's plate as she walked into the kitchen. After everyone was done and all the dishes were clean, Winry assigned chores to the boys, only giving her Grandmother light work, to keep them out of the kitchen, for she knew that, in the event one of them discovered how much food she had made, they would instantly become suspicious. A little while later, because Winry kept discreetly looking out the windows down the path to their house, she was the only one who saw them coming, and was pleased to see that they had indeed come all at once, barring one person, though Winry supposed it would take a little longer for her to arrive.

Finding Ed and Al in the living room, Winry asked them to go upstairs and check on Pinako, though she knew full well that her grandmother was in her workshop. After they went upstairs, she quickly enlisted Pinako's help with putting all the dishes out on the table. Getting all the dishes out just in time, Winry went out and stood on the porch, not wanting to risk the boys hearing a knock at the door. Greeting all her friend's warmly, she invited them all in as quickly and normally as she could, knowing that the boys would be back down any second. As they all entered, they all took it in turn to say hello to Pinako, who was once again seated on the couch.

Moving to the head of the group, Winry caught everyone's attention by saying, "Thanks for coming you guys. It's really good to see you: Roy, Riza, Mr. Armstrong, Sheizka, officers Havoc and Feury. I know it seemed a little sudden, but I had something I just had to show you." She finished as she heard footsteps on the stairs. Turning so that the stairs could be seen by everyone in the room, Winry beamed as everyone became perplexed as to who else was in the house. Confusion rapidly turned to shock as Ed and Al came down the stairs saying, "Winry, Granny Pinako isn't upstairs…."

The boys froze when they took in all their friends standing in front of them, looking quite as shocked. Ed, always the clever one, turned to Winry, saying, "You planned this, didn't you?" Nodding, she replied, "I sure did." Al was the one who broke the ensuing silence by saying happily, "It's so good to see you all again."

Something about what Al said seemed to break the hold, and before they knew it, both boys were surrounded by everyone, hearing yet again exclamations of how much they had changed. By popular demand, Ed and Al were once again obliged to relate all that had happened to them in their absence. As their story was rather long, it didn't take much time for everyone to be sitting down on the couch or in a chair. Afterwards, the boys insisted on hearing what was new with everyone else. Not very much had changed, they learned, until they got to Riza. Without saying anything, she walked up to the boys and, much to the delight of Winry, flashed something on her finger before their eyes. Something that was small and shiny.

"You're MARRIED?!" they yelped in unison. Laughing, Riza sat down again, saying, "For almost two months now."

"But who—." Ed began, though he was cut off by Roy, who was sitting next to Riza, snaking his arm around her shoulders.

"Roy and Riza Mustang. That sounds pretty nice." Al said, laughing with everyone else at Ed's disbelieving face.

Roy, not being able to resist teasing Ed, said, "I must admit Ed, your new height suits you better than your old one." Ed just smirked, not falling for it one bit. Roy, on a more serious note, asked, "So what are you planning to do now? Will you become a state alchemist again?"

"I'm not really sure." Ed replied thoughtfully. "The only reason I became one in the first place was to find a way to get Al back to normal, so I don't know what I'll do next."

"You might want to consider it." Roy said. "You guys will need some other way to bring the money in besides Winry's automail."

Looking over at Winry, Ed realized he was right. "I'll consider it." He said.

"Good. It certainly would be interesting to have the Fullmetal back after all this time, though you would have to take the exam again." Roy persisted. Clearly he wanted to be able to see his friend more often than the occasional visit to Risembol.

Just then, a knock was heard at the door. Winry, who already knew who it was, told Ed and Al to quickly go into the kitchen, and asked the others to not say a word. Opening the door, Winry stepped aside to let Rose come in. Giving a quick bow to everyone, she said, "Sorry it took me so long. I'm not too late, am I?"

"Not at all, Rose. You're just in time." Pinako said reassuringly.

"And we have a little surprise for you." Winry added. While Rose stood there looking confused, Winry called out, "Guys, you can come in now." Rose's jaw practically fell on the floor when the boys came walking out of the kitchen back into the living room. Smiling at her, they sat back down in their seats. Rose, also sitting down, wiped her eyes and smiled before she said, "I hope you guys plan on sticking around this time."

"Absolutely." They replied in unison, making her laugh.

As the party continued, about an hour later Winry noticed that the food on the table was dwindling. Going into the kitchen, she hoped that nobody noticed as she prepared more. She wanted everyone to enjoy themselves as much as possible.

"So how long did you plan this?" Said a voice right behind her. Squeaking in surprise, Winry whirled around to find Ed standing right behind her with a smirk all over his face.

"Ed! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she burst out while he chuckled. Seeing this, Winry said, "I'm guessing you're not angry that I invited everyone without telling you." She expected Ed to just chuckle again with a huge grin on his face. Therefore, she was very surprised when he swept her up into a big hug, whispering into her ear, "This is the best party I've ever been to. Thank you so much, Winry."

Shock quickly wearing off, Winry smiled and, hugging him back, said, "You're welcome, Ed."

"Well, well, well. Looks like I will have something to tease you about after all, Elric." Said a voice from the kitchen doorway. Already knowing who the voice belonged to, they separated almost instantly, both blushing slightly as they looked over at Roy Mustang, leaning against the doorframe and chuckling loudly. With blank looks on their faces, Ed and Winry looked over at each other, and their faces turned bright red when they saw that they were both slightly red in the face. Stuttering incoherently, they both tried in vain to say that it wasn't what it looked like. Mustang just laughed and said while walking back out, "I'll just leave you two alone." And laughed again.

Ed scowled, annoyed, but Winry just smiled and started laughing. When Ed asked, "What's so funny?" grumpily, she just replied, "It's just good to see him back to normal." When Ed looked confused, she continued, "After you left, he always seemed kind of out of it. You might not have realized it, but he valued you as a friend the most out of anyone."

As Ed looked slightly stunned, Winry thought it was the perfect time to ask him a question that had been on her mind for the past few days. Turning to face him, she asked, "So Ed, why did you and Al _REALLY_ decide to live in the city, and don't say 'because we felt like it'. I know too well that you never do anything just because you feel like it. There's a reason, and _YOU'RE_ going to tell me what it is."

Ed looked nervous for a bit, before he remembered that he promised they wouldn't keep secrets anymore. Sighing, he answered, "We decided to live in the city because the country reminded us too much of this place."

"And how is that a bad thing?", Winry persisted.

"Because…" Ed paused before starting again. "Because we missed you guys, and the countryside made us miss you more." He finished a little quietly. Winry noticing this, hugged him again, saying, "Well, we're together now. And it's gonna stay that way."

Smiling, Ed hugged her back, not caring if Mustang tortured him about it, and said, "Yeah." Then, looking over at the food she had made, he said, "You need some help with this?" pointing at the dishes. As they walked out of the kitchen and set the food on the table, they noticed that Al was the center of attention at the moment, and he seemed to actually enjoy it.

"It's about time." Ed said.

"Huh?"

"After Al snuck into that other world with me, he remembered those four years he had traveled with me after the accident, but it seemed like his low self-esteem returned along with his memories. It took forever to get his confidence back." Ed explained, a slight bit of annoyance in his voice, though Winry knew he could never stay mad or even irked at his younger brother for any length of time.

Plastering a big grin on her face, Winry grabbed Ed's arm and, dragging him back to the party, said, "Come on Ed. Let's join the party!"


End file.
